Improvement in horse-rakes



JOHN ROBINSON, OF LAVRENOE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN HORSE-RAKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 42,309, dated April 12, 1564.

To all whom it may concer/1t Be it known that I, JOHN ROBINSON, of the county ot'Lawrence and State oflennsylvania, have invented a new and nsefullmprovement in Hay-Rakes; andldo hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being` had to the annexed drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure lis a side view of my improved hayrake. Fig.2 is a longitudinal section through the rake midway from each side.

In each of the figures like letters of reference denote similar parts of my machine.

To enable others skilled in the art to construct and use my improved hay-rake, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation. t

ln the drawings, a is the frame-work of the carriage, consisting of two shafts connected to gether by the cross-piece b, and extending backward far enough to t'orm a platform to support the raker-seat c, and also connected at the rear end by another cross-piece; The platform under and in front ot' the raker-seat c is loored with boards d, which give additional staunchness to theframe. Below the platform, and under the raker-seat c, is the axle-tree e, to which is attached at each end an ordinary cart-wheel, j'.

The rake consists of two sets of bars, g g', setat rightangles to a central horizontal cross-v bar, h, the bars g g in either side of the crossbar h heilig in the same right line. The bars g g in both sets are mortised at their outer extremities into a horizontal strip, t' t', the strips t' at the ends ofthe bars g and the strips 'i' at the end of the bars g being equidistant from the central cross-bar, h. From the cross-bar q extend nearly at right angles thereto, and at short intervals apart, a number of prongs or tines, lr, by which the hay or grass is gathered, the tines k being long enough to hold a considerable quantity of hay or grass, which is prevented from falling out backward by the bars g, which are placed sufliciently closetogethertorthat purpose. From the outer extremity of the other set of bars, g', extend a numberoftines, la', similarly arranged in relation to their bar g as are the tines lc to their bar. When the bars g g are in a vertical position, as shown in the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2,

the lower set of tines, It, point forward in the direction in which the rakeis to be moved, but with their points inclining slightly downward, while the upper set ot' tines, k', extend in the opposite direction, or rearward. At each end ot' the rake-bars g g is acircular hoop or tire, l, the extremities ot the horizontal rake-bars g g; resting on and being attached to the inner circumference of the tire, so that the central horizontal bar, It, forms the axle of a wheel ol which the outer side rake-bars, gg', are spokes. Other spokes, m m, are also added and mortised into the central bar h, to keep the tire l. in shape. From each end ot' the central crossbar, h, extends a pin or journal, u, each ot'- which works in a journal box or bearing, p, Y

attached to the hanging rake-frame. The tires Z are of such diameter that when the rake is in use they rest on the ground, thus causing the rake-wheel to revolve when left free to do so, as hereinafter described.

Therake-wheel,constructed asjustdescribed, is attached by the journals n on either side to the hanging frame, composed of two parallel sides pieces, q, connected together by three cross-pieces, r r r. (See Fig. 2.) The rakeframe has at its front end two or three short upright posts, s s-one at each side and one in the middle-firmly attached at right angles to the hanging frame. The upper extremity of each of the posts s s is pivoted at t to the rear end of the side pieces, a a, ofthe carriage. The other end of the rake-trame is free, so that when the tires l of the rake-wheel rest on the ground the hanging rake-frame will rise and fall With any inequality of the ground and preserve the tines k of the lower set ot' rakes at a uniform distance from its surface. To the frame ot' the carriage, about midwayl from either side, is pivoted at t a catch-bar, u, which extends from the point t backward over the top ot' the rake-frame. It has a square notch cut in its under side at o, Fig. 2, this notch being of such size that the cross-bars i', whichever may be uppermost, of the rakeframe will enter it. When the catch-bar rests on top ot' the rake-frame and the rake-wheel is revolved, so soon as the rake-bars g g assume a vertical position, as in the drawings, the upper cross-bar, t', will enter the notch, which at once arrests the motion of the rakewheel and holds it tirmlyin the position (shown Q n 1li-2,309

in Figs. 1 and 2) required for raking hay. So soon as the lower rake-tines are sufficiently loaded with hay the catch-bar is momentarily raised,when the rake-wheel will atonce perform a half-revolution, discharging the contents of the lower rake-tines in a heap on the sward, and as soon as the other set of tines reach the ground the catch-bar engages theupper rakebar g and holds the rake-wheelin position. Thisoperation is repeated as often as the lower rake-tines become sufliciently loaded.

The eatch-baris operated, as just described,-

Y by means of a lever, w, which has its fulcrum in a post, x, under the raker-seat, the forward end of the lever having a cross-piece, y, just in front ot' the raker-seat, in a convenient position to be operated by the foot ofthe person sitting in the raker-seat. The other end 0f the lever w is attached by a link and staples to the catch-bar a short distance back of the pivot t.

When it is desired to raise the hanging rakeframe entirely off the ground, so that the carriage may be driven without operating the rake, it is done by drawing outthe pin z at the fnlcrum of the lever w in the post a?, which the driver'can easily do from his seat, the pin .a being attached to the post x bya short chain, so as not to be lost. The lever w, resting in the crotch ot' the post x, is then pushed forward by the feet of the driver, which raises v the catch-bar a. As the catch-bar a is pivoted to the carriage-frame at tand is not attached to the hanging rake-frame, its elevation would not raise the hanging rake-frame were it not that an iron loop, a', is attached to the middle cross-piece, r', of the hanging frame, through which loop the catch-bar u is passed,

the loop beingjust long enough to permitof the catch-bar being slightly raised to disengage the rake-wheel from thc notch e; but when the catch-bar is raised up higher by drawing the lever forward the top of the loop a rests on -the catch-bar and causes the hanging rakeframe to be sufficiently elevated to raise the tires lof the rake-wheel entirely oft'the ground. A sliding bar, b', placed on one side ofthe carriage-frame, (see Fig. 1,) is then pushed 'back under the rear cross-piece, r, of the hanging frame, and thus holds it up. The sliding bar b may bey operated by oneV foot of the driver, YV

While with the other, pressed against the crosspiece y at the forward end of' the lever w, he.

nately and attached to the carriage by a hangf ing frame, substantially as described.

2. Theuseoftheleverforoperatingthecatchbar, in connection with the sliding bar for elevating and holding up the rake-frame when the rake is not in use, substantially as described.

ln testimony whereof l, the said JOHN R013- INSON, have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

F. T. Davis, W. H. BLACK. 

